2008 ANZ Championship season

2008 ANZ Championship season
League ANZ Championship
Sport Netball
Duration 5 April 2008 - 28 July 2008
Number of teams 10
TV partner(s) Network Ten (Australia)
Champions New South Wales Swifts
Runners-up Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Minor premiers Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
Season MVP Romelda Aiken (Firebirds)
Sonia Mkoloma (Pulse)

The 2008 ANZ Championship season was the inaugural season of the ANZ Championship, a new trans-Tasman netball competition replacing Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy and New Zealand's National Bank Cup. The 2008 season began on 5 April, with competing franchises playing each other once, and playing each franchise from their home country a second time. Four teams progressed to the finals stage, played over three weeks. The grand final was played on 28 July at Acer Arena in Sydney, with the New South Wales Swifts emerging victorious over minor premiers the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic. Overall, 6792 goals were scored during the season, averaging 98.44 per match.

Teams

The inaugural season featured five teams from both Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, one team represented each participating state. In New Zealand, each team represented one or more regions.

Team Representative area Former team(s)
New South Wales Swifts New South Wales Sydney Swifts, Hunter Jaegers
Melbourne Vixens Melbourne Melbourne Phoenix, Melbourne Kestrels
Queensland Firebirds Queensland Queensland Firebirds
West Coast Fever Western Australia Perth Orioles
Adelaide Thunderbirds South Australia Adelaide Thunderbirds
Northern Mystics Northland, Auckland Auckland Diamonds, Northern Force
Central Pulse Central North, Wellington, Tasman Wellington Shakers, Western Flyers
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Waikato, Bay of Plenty Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic
Canterbury Tactix Canterbury Canterbury Flames
Southern Steel Southland, Otago Southern Sting, Otago Rebels

The Central Pulse, Northern Mystics, Southern Steel, Melbourne Vixens and NSW Swifts were formed as amalgamations of previous teams in their respective national competitions. The West Coast Fever were the renamed Perth Orioles and the Tactix were the renamed Canterbury Flames. The Firebirds, Thunderbirds and Magic retained their names from the national competitions.

Franchise map

Transfer Season

See the 2008 Transfer Season

Name 2007 Team 2008 Team
Mo'onia Gerrard Sydney Swifts- CBT Adelaide Thunderbirds
Geva Mentor Team Bath- Superleague Adelaide Thunderbirds
Kate Beveridge Perth Orioles- CBT Adelaide Thunderbirds
Romelda Aiken Jamaican Squad- Internationals Queensland Firebirds
Tamsin Greenway Team Bath- Superleague Queensland Firebirds
Karen Atkinson Mavericks- Superleague West Coast Fever
Ama Agbeze Loughborough Lightning- Superleague West Coast Fever
Sonia Mkoloma Brunel Hurricanes- Superleague Central Pulse
Rachel Dunn Team Bath- Superleague Canterbury Tactix
Jenny-May Coffin Auckland Diamonds- NBC Southern Steel
Jodi Brown Otago Rebels- NBC Canterbury Tactix
Maria Tutaia Auckland Diamonds- NBC Waikato/BOP Magic

Competition ladder

2008 ANZ Championship season
Team Pld W D L GF GA G% Pts
1 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 131003687599114.6920
2 New South Wales Swifts 131003727652111.5020
3 Adelaide Thunderbirds 13904652577113.0018
4 Melbourne Vixens 13904673620108.5518
5 Queensland Firebirds 13706693645107.4414
6 Southern Steel 13706617616100.1614
7 Northern Mystics 1350862563798.1210
8 Canterbury Tactix 1350860767889.5310
9 West Coast Fever 13211060569786.805
10 Central Pulse 13011247163674.061
Updated: 2008-11-22

Round-robin games

All listed times are local.

Round 1

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 5 April 2:30 pm Central Pulse 33–50 Melbourne Vixens TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Sunday 6 April 1:00 pm Queensland Firebirds 48–46 West Coast Fever Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Sunday 6 April 5:30 pm Northern Mystics 44–48 Canterbury Tactix Trusts Stadium, Auckland
Monday 7 April 7:00 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 46–42 Adelaide Thunderbirds Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Monday 7 April 7:00 pm New South Wales Swifts 53–42 Southern Steel Acer Arena, Sydney

Round 2

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 12 April 2:30 pm Canterbury Tactix 50–44 New South Wales Swifts Westpac Centre, Christchurch
Sunday 13 April 1:30 pm Melbourne Vixens 62–52 Queensland Firebirds State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Sunday 13 April 5:30 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 56–52 Northern Mystics Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Monday 14 April 7:00 pm Central Pulse 50–52 Southern Steel TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Monday 14 April 6:00 pm West Coast Fever 41–54 Adelaide Thunderbirds Challenge Stadium, Perth

Round 3

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 19 April 2:30 pm Northern Mystics 45–49 West Coast Fever Trusts Stadium, Auckland
Saturday 19 April 2:30 pm New South Wales Swifts 50–47 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Newcastle Entertainment Centre
Sunday 20 April 1:30 pm Melbourne Vixens 38–39 Adelaide Thunderbirds Vodafone Arena, Melbourne
Monday 21 April 7:00 pm Canterbury Tactix 42–51 Southern Steel Westpac Arena, Christchurch
Monday 21 April 7:00 pm Queensland Firebirds 56–28 Central Pulse Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Round 4

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 26 April 2:30 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 61–47 West Coast Fever Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton
Saturday 26 April 2:30 pm Queensland Firebirds 46–40 Northern Mystics Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Sunday 27 April 1:00 pm Adelaide Thunderbirds 54–41 Southern Steel ETSA Park, Adelaide
Monday 28 April 7:00 pm Canterbury Tactix 50–58 Melbourne Vixens Westpac Arena, Christchurch
Monday 28 April 7:00 pm New South Wales Swifts 59–30 Central Pulse Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre

Round 5

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 3 May 2:30 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 54–37 Central Pulse Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton
Saturday 3 May 12:30 pm West Coast Fever 46–65 Queensland Firebirds Challenge Stadium, Perth
Monday 5 May 7:00 pm Southern Steel 48–50 Northern Mystics Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Monday 5 May 7:00 pm New South Wales Swifts 52–53 Melbourne Vixens Newcastle Entertainment Centre
BYE:  Adelaide Thunderbirds, Canterbury Tactix

Round 6

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 10 May 2:30 pm Southern Steel 48–51 Canterbury Tactix Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Saturday 10 May 2:30 pm Queensland Firebirds 66–52 New South Wales Swifts Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Monday 12 May 7:00 pm Northern Mystics 45–59 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Trusts Stadium, Auckland
Monday 12 May 6:30 pm Adelaide Thunderbirds 66–50 West Coast Fever ETSA Park, Adelaide
BYE:  Melbourne Vixens, Central Pulse

Round 7

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 17 May 2:30 pm Central Pulse 50–55 Canterbury Tactix Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North
Sunday 18 May 1:00 pm Adelaide Thunderbirds 46–52 Melbourne Vixens ETSA Park, Adelaide
Monday 19 May 7:00 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 56–47 Southern Steel Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton
Monday 19 May 7:00 pm New South Wales Swifts 66–54 West Coast Fever Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
BYE:  Queensland Firebirds, Northern Mystics

Round 8

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 24 May 2:30 pm Canterbury Tactix 50–54 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Westpac Arena, Christchurch
Sunday 25 May 1:30 pm Queensland Firebirds 60–51 Melbourne Vixens Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Monday 26 May 7:00 pm Central Pulse 48–54 Northern Mystics TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Monday 26 May 6:30 pm Adelaide Thunderbirds 44–50 New South Wales Swifts ETSA Park, Adelaide
BYE:  West Coast Fever, Southern Steel

Round 9

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 31 May 2:30 pm Southern Steel 41–29 Central Pulse Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Sunday 1 June 1:30 pm Melbourne Vixens 57–44 West Coast Fever State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Monday 2 June 7:00 pm Northern Mystics 50–46 Canterbury Tactix Trusts Stadium, Auckland
Monday 2 June 7:00 pm Queensland Firebirds 41–47 Adelaide Thunderbirds Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
BYE:  New South Wales Swifts, Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic

Round 10

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 7 June 2:30 pm Southern Steel 47–46 Melbourne Vixens Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Sunday 8 June 1:00 pm Adelaide Thunderbirds 61–41 Canterbury Tactix ETSA Park, Adelaide
Sunday 8 June 5:30 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 56–50 Queensland Firebirds Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Monday 9 June 7:00 pm Northern Mystics 62–64 New South Wales Swifts Trusts Stadium, Auckland
Monday 9 June 6:00 pm West Coast Fever draw[2] 33–16 Central Pulse Challenge Stadium, Perth

Round 11

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 14 June 2:30 pm Northern Mystics 47–48 Adelaide Thunderbirds Trusts Stadium, Auckland
Sunday 15 June 1:30 pm New South Wales Swifts 61–60 Queensland Firebirds Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
Sunday 15 June 5:30 pm Canterbury Tactix 50–49 Central Pulse Westpac Centre, Christchurch
Monday 16 June 7:00 pm Southern Steel 58–43 West Coast Fever Edgar Centre, Dunedin
Monday 16 June 7:00 pm Melbourne Vixens 47–40 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne

Round 12

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 21 June 2:30 pm Central Pulse 41–46 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Saturday 21 June 12:30 pm West Coast Fever 48–54 Melbourne Vixens Challenge Stadium, Perth
Sunday 22 June 1:30 pm Queensland Firebirds 50–36 Canterbury Tactix Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Monday 23 June 7:00 pm Northern Mystics 47–41 Southern Steel North Shore Events Centre, Auckland
Monday 23 June 7:00 pm New South Wales Swifts 51–41 Adelaide Thunderbirds Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre

Round 13

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 28 June 2:30 pm Northern Mystics 42–28 Central Pulse North Shore Events Centre, Auckland
Saturday 28 June 2:00 pm Adelaide Thunderbirds 66–47 Queensland Firebirds ETSA Park, Adelaide
Sunday 29 June 11:30 am West Coast Fever 50–44 Canterbury Tactix Challenge Stadium, Perth
Monday 30 June 7:00 pm Southern Steel 47–43 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Monday 30 June 7:00 pm Melbourne Vixens 49–62 New South Wales Swifts Vodafone Arena, Melbourne

Round 14

Date Time Home Team Score Away Team Venue
Saturday 5 July 2:30 pm Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic 69–44 Canterbury Tactix Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton
Sunday 6 July 1:30 pm Melbourne Vixens 56–47 Northern Mystics Vodafone Arena, Melbourne
Sunday 6 July 5:30 pm Southern Steel 54–52 Queensland Firebirds Edgar Centre, Dunedin
Monday 7 July 7:00 pm Central Pulse 32–44 Adelaide Thunderbirds Pettigrew Green Arena, Napier
Monday 7 July 6:00 pm West Coast Fever 54–63 New South Wales Swifts Challenge Stadium, Perth

Finals

The top four teams from the round-robin stages qualified for the finals series, played over a three-week period. These teams were (in descending order) the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic (minor premiers), New South Wales Swifts, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Melbourne Vixens.

Major semi-final

Sunday 13 July
17:30 (UTC+12)		 Report
Stats		 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic56–57New South Wales Swifts    Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton
Umpires: Jacqui Jashari (AUS)
Bronwyn Meek (NZL)
Reserve umpire: Mandy Nottingham (NZL)		 FOXSports
SKYSport
Scoring by quarter: 15-16, 17-14, 9-17, 15-10
van Dyk  29/29 (100%)
Tutaia  27/34 (79%)		 Cox  41/48 (85%)
Pratley  16/19 (84%)

Minor semi-final

Monday 14 July
16:30 (UTC+9:30)		 Report
Stats		 Adelaide Thunderbirds53–48Melbourne Vixens    ETSA Park, Adelaide
Umpires: Rachael Ayre (AUS)
Bobbi Brown (NZL)
Reserve umpire: Helen George (AUS)		 FOXSports
SKYSport
Scoring by quarter: 8-16, 16-8, 12-14, 17-10
Beveridge  38/44 (86%)
Medhurst  15/20 (75%)		 Thwaites  28/37 (76%)
McMahon  20/21 (95%)

Preliminary final

Monday 21 July
19:00 (UTC+12)		 Report
Stats		 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic51–49Adelaide Thunderbirds    Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton
Umpires: Sharon Kelly (AUS)
Bronwyn Meek (NZL)
Reserve umpire: Bobbi Brown(NZL)		 FOXSports
SKYSport
Scoring by quarter: 17-14, 12-11, 12-11, 10-13
van Dyk  31/32 (97%)
Tutaia  20/23 (87%)		 Beveridge  29/34 (85%)
Medhurst  20/22 (91%)

Grand final

Monday 28 July
19:00 (UTC+10)		 Report
Stats		 New South Wales Swifts65–56Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic    Acer Arena, Sydney
Attendance: 12,999
Umpires: Sharon Kelly (AUS)
Bronwyn Meek (NZL)
Reserve umpire: Jacqui Jashari (AUS)		 FOXSports
SKYSport
Scoring by quarter: 19-14, 15-14, 16-17, 15-11
Cox  41/46 (89%)
Pratley  24/30 (80%)		 van Dyk  45/46 (98%)
Tutaia  11/15 (73%)

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2008 rules specified that games must play to a result, excluding the possibility of a draw. However, see note for Round 10 (below) for a singular exception in which a game was declared a draw.
  2. ↑ Game called off due to stadium leak. Despite West Coast leading 33–16 prior to the decision, the game was declared a draw, with each team receiving one competition point. The goals scored by each team were included in the competition ladder.

References